In case you haven’t heard, Mazda officially announced on November 15th that they are bringing the turbocharged 2.5L CX-9 engine to the Mazda 6.
Now, this announcement did not come with a huge amount of information, but it got everyone here at CorkSport all sorts of stirred up. This fantastic news comes coupled with a new facelift, better quality interior, and a few extra options. Check out the teaser shot down below, in my opinion the CX-5 grill looks great on the 6.
While we do not know if this new turbocharged Mazda 6 will carry the Mazdaspeed badge, we do know it will sure feel like a Mazdaspeed.
The SkyActiv-G 2.5T produces 250hp and 310lb-ft while on premium fuel. That power and torque are more than enough to move around the big CX-9 so it will definitely be interesting in the Mazda 6 that weighs almost 1000lbs less. Two more factors remain for the new 6 to truly be a Mazdaspeed6: manual transmission and AWD.
Since the CX-9 and Mazda6 are based on the same platform and have similar chassis, carrying over the AWD system with the engine is a distinct possibility. Plus, Mazda already offers the 6 in AWD in the European and Japanese Markets. The big question remaining then is the manual transmission. While the manual mode on the CX-9 automatic is nice, it is just not the same as a full-bore manual gearbox. It’s not looking too good as the CX-9 only comes in auto and the teaser images just show an automatic but hopefully Mazda can surprise us with a manual transmission.
Since this 2.5T has been in the CX-9 for a few years now we at CorkSport have had a few opportunities to check out the engine, see how it’s packaged, and look for potential performance gains.
What follows are simply observations that we have made, don’t get too excited (yet):
- The turbo inlet pipe gets quite small on its route from the airbox to the turbo. Enlarging this would definitely help the turbo breathe better.
- The exhaust is fairly restrictive at about 2 3/8”.
- There is a good amount of space where the turbo lives for a high-flow downpipe and even turbo upgrades.
Additionally, this engine was designed to fit in the same compartment as the naturally aspirated 2.5L so we may even get some Mazda 3 love down the road if the SkyActiv-X doesn’t steal every engine bay.
This new Mazda 6 may be coming sooner than you expect.
All Mazda models have gotten a 2018 model year, except the Mazda 6 which is currently at 2017.5 and the Miata that’s stuck all the way back in 2017. Hopefully this means the 2018 model year Mazda 6 has the turbo option. Maybe Mazda is even planning a 2018 Miata update but only time will tell.
Look for more info on the new “Mazdaspeed” 6 during its full unveiling at the L.A. Auto Show on November 29th. We’re just as excited as all of you and to be honest, if a manual option gets announced, one will likely find its way into the garage. Stay tuned to the CorkSport Blog, Instagram, and Facebook to make sure you don’t miss anything!